In power generation, at a specified output, an increase of the rotary speed of a turbine is associated with a decrease in size and costs. Efficiency, too, can be improved. Already, power generation turbines up to 70 MW are connected to generators by way of gearing arrangements, so as to allow operation at higher rotary speeds. As the output increases, the use of gearing arrangements becomes increasingly difficult for safety reasons. In such cases, the turbine is operated at synchronous speed.
The use of a gearing arrangement is associated with a number of disadvantages, such as a fixed transmission ratio, a noise level above 100 dB for 40 MW, and above 115 dB for 70 MW, mechanical losses irrespective of the particular load, and exacting requirements with regard to cooling and lubrication with oil.
The use of static frequency converters (power electronics) represents an alternative. Among others, the following advantages could be expected: reduced costs of the generator in agreement with a constant product of volume and rotational speed, a standardized generator for both 50 and 60 Hz, an adjustable speed which allows restoration of the partial-load efficiency of the turbine, reduced losses in relation to the gearing arrangement (at least in partial load), no upper limit of the possible output, and use of the generator as a starter motor (in the case of gas turbine applications).
Both in the case of power generation and in the case of drives, a reduction in losses of the static frequency converters would bring about substantial cost savings. A reduction of the losses would above all have a bearing on investment costs because cooling accounts for a substantial part of the total costs of the converter.
Static frequency converters exist both with indirect AC/DC/AC conversion and with direct AC/AC conversion.
The indirect conversion (AC/DC/AC) is caused by generating a directed direct current or a directed direct voltage from the three-phase source (mains in the case of motors; generator in the case of power generation). Subsequently, the direct current or the direct voltage is converted back to an alternating current by means of an inverter.
An inductance (current converter) or a capacitor bank (voltage converter) are switched into the intermediate circuit so as to reduce the ripple component of the current or the spikes.
These days, converters make use of thyristors. If natural commutation of the thyristors is possible, the losses in the converter are reduced. However, induction motors for example, take up reactive power. In order to make this reactive power from the net available, it should be possible to switch off the current in a specified arm of the converter at any desired time. In this case there is forced commutation and thus there are increased losses.
Voltage converters use GTOs with their inherent high switching losses, as well as IGBTs or IGCTs. The power of the individual components is less than that of thyristors, consequently, a larger number of components are required for a specified voltage or a specified current.
Direct conversion (AC/AC) is for example possible by means of a so-called cyclo-converter. Direct conversion provides significant advantages from the point of view of the electrical machine, because the current is more or less a sine-shaped wave rather than chopped direct current. It reduces the losses which occur additionally within the electrical machine and it also prevents pulsating torques.
However, the use of cyclo-converters limits the achievable frequency range to 0-⅓ of the input frequency. Due to imbalanced operation, exceeding the ⅓ limit results in overdimensioning up to a factor of 3.
Another possibility of direct conversion is provided by a so-called matrix converter in which each phase of a multi-phase source (generator or mains) is connected or connectable with each phase of a multi-phase load (mains, passive load, motors, etc.) by a bi-directional switch (see e.g. N. Mohan et al., Power Electronics, 2nd Edition, John Wiley & Sons, New York pp. 11-12). The switches consist of an adequate number of thyristors to withstand the differential voltage between the phases, and the phase currents, and to allow current reversal. They can be regarded as truly bi-directional components with the options of jointly using additional wiring such as snubbers or the power supplies for the drive pulses for the antiparallel components.
The switches are arranged in a (m×n)-matrix at m phases of the source and n phases of the load. This provides the option of establishing any desired connections between the input phases and the output phases; however at the same time it has the disadvantage in that certain switching states of the matrix must not be allowed since otherwise for example a short circuit would result. Furthermore, it is desirable to carry out commutation from one phase to another phase such that the lowest possible switching losses result.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,636 describes a matrix converter and a process for its operation in which commutation between the phases is partly carried out as a natural commutation, with a forced commutation where natural commutation is not possible. Although with this type of selection, switching losses are reduced due to natural commutation, those switching losses which arise from forced commutation still remain. Furthermore, the possible forced commutation necessitates the use, in all positions on the matrix, of components which can be switched off. This considerably increases the switching expenditure.
EP-A-1 199 794 describes a matrix converter as well as a method for operating such a matrix converter wherein the essence of the disclosure consists of allowing commutation from one phase to another phase only if such commutation can be carried out as a natural commutation, and of stating a condition for it which can be expressed in a simple way in easily measurable quantities of the matrix converter, and can therefore be easily verified. It therefore takes benefit of a very low commutation frequency, combined with natural commutations, to drastically reduce the commutation loss power. The matrix converter described in this document of the state-of-the-art directly connects the generator phases to the network. Most of the time, three generator phases are connected to the three network phases and only three switches are switched on. Another important characteristic of this converter is to be able to operate with a star connection on the input side. The star point on the generator side should preferably not be grounded through a low impedance. The purpose is actually to improve the overall efficiency. However, a low commutation frequency usually results in a heavy harmonic distortion, which also holds true for the matrix converter as disclosed in EP-A-1199794.